Tufting mechanism



March 12, 1935., H. J. SCHOMER 1,993,862

TUFTING MECHANI SM Filed March 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 12, 1935. H. J. SCHOMER 1,993,862

TUFTING MECHANISM Filed March 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 arch 12, 1935. H. J. SCHOMER TUFTING MECHANI SM Filed March 5. 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 12, 1935. H. J. SCHOMER 1,993,362

TUFTING MECHANISM Filed March 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M m l I-1 4 A 3 61 ill illv I u I 7 a 1 I 4 v J W Z w J w w w m a w 8 i a m Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES TUFTING MECHANISM Henry J. Schomer, Oshkosh, Wis., assignor to Waite Carpet Company, Oshkosh, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 5, 1934, Serial No. 713,990

17 Claims.

This invention relates to tufting mechanism adapted to be incorporated into a sewing machine for the purpose of drawing out the threads in a series of loops and cutting the same to form tufts,

5 so that the resulting product will exhibit the characteristics of a tufted rug.

The mechanism of the present invention is designed as a modification in the structure of a sewing machine of standard form equipped with means for introducing the loops from a needle over the tip of an oscillating combined looper and cutter along which the succeeding loops will be crowded by the feeding movements of the fabric and ultimately severed and released in the form of tufts which constitute the exposed pile surface of the completed rug.

The oscillating looper of the present invention is designed to operate with an oscillatory needle which swings forwardly during the feeding of the fabric and backwardly on the upward movement of the needle, although the looper and cutter may be employed with a machine in which the needle has a straight line reciprocatory movement.

In certain previous tufting machines with which I am familiar, a stationary looper and cutter has been employed in association with an oscillating reciprocatory needle, but in such cases the cutting of the loops is effected entirelyby the slipping of the loops along the edge-of the stationary cutter, which requires that the cutting edge be kept extremely sharp at all times and precludes theuse of heavy or tough yarn, which is not easily severed. By combining. the cutter with the oscillating head which carries the looper I am enabled to secure the advantage of a positively movable cutter which is more effective for certain classes of work than the stationary cutter previously referred to. At the same time, by mounting the looper and cutter on the oscillatory head, the mechanism is rendered extremely compact and simple in construction and siifiicien'tly rugged to withstand hard usage for a long period of time.

Further details and advantages will appear from a description of the invention in conjuncm tion with the accompanying drawings, wherein,+

Figure l is a side elevation partially sectioned of a sewing machine of the Singer type, employingqthe looper and cutter of the present invention; T q

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. is a cross sectional elevation through the rear standard of the sewing machine;

Figs. 4,5 and e are views of the comb ned er and cutter associated with the needle, showing three positions in the cycle of operations;

Fig.- 7 is a sectional elevation taken on line 7 of Fig. 4, showing the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. Y

Fig. 9 is a similar view, showing the parts in l the position illustrated in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 10 is a similar view illustrating the coac- 10 tion between the needle and the needle guide block.

The presentinvention is shown in association with a sewing machine comprising a base or platform 20, provided at its rear end with a hollow standard 21, which carries a forwardly extending arm 22 terminating in a head 23 which encloses the mechanism for reciprocatingand oscillating the needle; but in view of the fact that these parts are of standard sewing machine construction constituting a well known type of Singer sewing machine, it is not deemed necessary to describe the mechanism provided for actuating the needle. Such mechanism is operated by a shaft 24, provided near its rear end with a crank 25, and provided beyond the standard with a pulley 26 adapted to be operated from a suitable source of power.

The needle 27 is carried by a rod 28, and the needle operates through a presser foot29 secured to the lower end of a rod 30 suitably actuated to afford the necessary feeding movements to the fabric in a manner well understood in the sewing machine art.

Below the platform 20 are located the parts which more especially form the subject matter of the present invention. Theseparts include a disk-shaped oscillating head 31 provided on its rear face with spaced lugs 32 furnishing a chuck for engagement with the squared head 33 on the forward end of an oscillating shaft 34 provided at its rear end with an arm 35 which is connected by a pivot 36 with a slide block 37 operating within a slot 38 in a lever 39 which is pivoted upon a pintle,40 and has its opposite end 41 pivoted to a pitman 42 operating on the crank shaft 25.

The relationship of the parts is such that con tinued rotary movement of the shaft 24 will be transformed into a rocking movement of the lever 39, which in turn will be imparted through the arm 35 to the shaft 34, so that oscillatory movements will be imparted to theoscillating head .31 in properly timed relation to the movements of the needle. Obviously other mechanical connecfiODSxOf an equivalentnature might be employed needle and to the oscillating head.

The head within its rim is cut away to afford a curved slot 43, leaving the rim 44 in the form of a hook or bill shaped looper which extends throughout a little more than half the circumference of the circular disk and terminates at its forward end in an inwardly extending tooth 45, behind which the inner wall of the looper at the point 46 is flattened, and thereafter merges into the curved inner edge of the looper which throughout the remainder of its length is concentric with the outer wall, thus giving to the looper as ,a whole the configuration of a slender curved finger.

The slot 43, at its inner end merges into an inwardly enlarged recess 47 to afford clearance for the movements of the needle, and in front of the tooth shaped tip 45 of the looper is a gap 48 which permits the needle to enter. Immediately opposite the gap is located a needle guide block 49 which is screwed or otherwise secured to the uncut center portion 50 of the oscillating head, and said block is rounded on its inner face, as clearly shown in Figs. 9 and 10, to permit the point of the needle to contact and slip by the block in order to bring the needle on each of its reciprocations into exact relation to the tip of the looper. The needle is provided with the usual eye 51 and is cut away or scarfed at the point 52 adjacent to the eye so as to afford clearance between the needle and the loop of yarn 53 for the entrance of the tip end of the looper when the needle is properly positioned.

At the rear or base of the slot 43 is located a knife blade 54 provided with a cutting edge 55, and the knife blade is held in position by means of a removable clamp 56, so that the knife may be readily removed for sharpening or renewal. As shown, the outer edge of the knife is curved to fit snugly within a flange 57' which constitutes a continuation of the looper around the uncut portion 58 of the disk, as best shown in Fig. 8.

The disk is journalled within a circular recess 59 in a journal head casting 60 which is secured by screws 61-61 from lugs 62 which depend from the base or platform 20, constituting part of the main frame of the machine. The front face of the casting is extended or thickened in the form of a boss 63 which is rabbeted around its inner margin at the point 64 to afford a guide shoulder for the oscillations of the head 31 which is clamped in position by a split guide ring 65, which furnishes the inner wall for the circular guideway within which the head 31 oscillates. The split guide ring is clamped in place by spring prongs 66 which unite in a spring head 67, which is held in clamping relation by a screw 68. This arrangement affords a circular guideway for the oscillatory movements of the head 31, and at the same time holds the parts in exact relationship to the needle, so that at the proper time in each needle oscillation the tip of'the looper will present itself in position to engage a loop of yarn.

Operation In the operation of the device we may assume that the parts stand in the position shown in Fig. 4, with the needle elevated and with the oscillating head 31 in its extreme position of clockwise movement. This illustrates a position in which the knife blade 54 has just severed the next preceding loop in advance of the one last discharged from the needle. Thereafter, the oscillating head 31 will move in a counter-clockr eoaeea for imparting the necessary movements to the wise direction to the extreme position shown in Fig. 6, and through the position illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 shows the parts in an intermediate position with the needle piercing the fabric and approaching the looper. In Fig. 6 the tip of the looper has swung past the needle but still retains the last preceding loop of yarn in uncut condition, and with the parts thus positioned the tip of the needle will lie against the curved guide block 49 and be held against displacement as the tip of the looper begins to move to the right and through the space afforded bythe scarf in the needle, so that at the beginning of the clockwise stroke a new loop will be engaged. Such engagement is also facilitated by the forward swing of the oscillatory needle in the particular embodiment shown, although in cases where a straight line reciprocating needle is employed the mode of operation is not essentially different.

During the continued movement of the oscillating head in clockwise direction, the two uncut loops will stand in adjacent relation to one another until the knife blade engages the foremost loop and cuts it and comes to a rest in the position shown in Fig. 4 preparatory to the next operation. By forming the tip end of the looper with an inwardly extending tooth, and by giving to. the tip of the looper a thin blade-like dulledged form, the loops, after being once engaged by the looper, will be held against slipping away from the tip of the looper when in the position shown in Fig. 6, since the toothed form of the looper tip affords a hook-like engagement for the previously applied loop and prevents it from escaping.

The formation of the knife is one which permits reversal from time to time, since only one end of the knife blade is brought into cutting ensition reversed without difficulty.

The device as a whole is extremely compact, and the parts constituting the present invention are in the form of a self-contained unit which may be readily applied to or removed from a sewing machine of standard construction, with but slight rearrangement, and in view of the fact that all of the operating parts are carried within a small compass, the danger of maladjustment is reduced to a minimum, and the parts are properly held and reinforced to permit of rapid operation under conditions which require extreme precision in order to insure the proper timing relation and proper presentation of the looper to the eye of the needle.

Although the device has been described with considerable particularity as to detail, it is not the jection at its tip to prevent the escape of loops,

and means for cutting the loops to free them from the looper.

2. In a tufting machine of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, an

oscillating head and means for affording oscillatory movements thereto in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head having a portion 'of its periphery configured in the form of a bill-shaped looper having a tooth-like inner projection at its tip o prevent the escape of loops, and means carried by the oscillating head and located near the inner end of the looper for cutting the loops to free them from the looper.

3. In a tufting machine of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, an oscillating head andmeans for affording oscillatory movements thereto in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head having a portion of its periphery configured in the form of a bill-shaped looper, and cutting means in the form of a blade removably carried by the oscillating head and secured in position to successively out free the loops in advance of the loops last engaged by the looper.

4. In a tufting machine of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, an oscillating head and means for afiording oscillatory movements thereto in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head having a portion of its periphery configured in the form of a bill-shaped looper having a tooth-like inner projection at its tip to prevent the escape of loops, and cutting means in the form of a blade removably carried by the oscillating head and secured in position to successively out free the loops in advance of the loops last engaged by the looper.

5. In a tufting machine of the class described, the combination of 'a reciprocating needle, an oscillating head and means for affording oscillatory movements thereto in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head having a portion of its periphery configuredin the form of a bill-shaped looper having a tooth-like inner projection at its tip to prevent the escape of loops, means for cutting the loops to free them from the looper, and a guide block carried by the oscillating head and positioned to engage the tip of the needle on its downward movement to guide the tip in position to permit engagement of loops by the tip of the looper.

6. In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movementsof the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afford an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery,and cutting means adapted to free the. loops from the looper.

'7. In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut movements of the needle, said head being cut,

away on its interior to afford an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, and cutting means adapted torfree the loops from the looper, the tip of the looper being extended inwardly in the form of a tooth adapted to prevent escape of the loops from the looper.

9. In tufting mechanism of the, class described,

the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating headand means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afford an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, and cutting means carried by the oscillating head and adapted to free the loops from the looper, the tip of thelooper being extended inwardly in the form of a tooth adapted to prevent escape of the loops from the looper.

10. In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afford an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, cutting means adapted to free the loops from the looper, and a journal member embracing theoscillating head and affording a guideway therefor.

11. In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations'to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afford an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, cutting means carried by the oscillating head and adapted to free the loops from the looper, and a journal member embracing the oscillating head and af-- the oscillating head and affording a guideway therefor.

13. In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said'head being cut away on its interior to afford an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, cutting means carried by the oscillating head and adapted to free the loops from the looper, the tip of the looper being extended inwardly in the form of a tooth adapted to prevent escape of the loops from the looper, and a journal member embracing the oscillating head and affording a guideway therefor. l

14. In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combinationof a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afiord an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, cutting means adapted to free the loops fromthe looper, and a journal member embracing the oscillating head and affording a guideway therefor, the journal member and oscillating head being removable and replaceable as a unit.

15. In tufting mechanism of the class described,

the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afiord an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, cutting means carried by the oscillating head and adapted to free the loops from the looper, and a journal member embracing the oscillating head and affording a guideway therefor, the journal member and oscillating head being removable and replaceable as a unit.

16. In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afiord an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, cutting means adapted to free the loops from the looper, the tip of the looper being extended inwardly in the form of a tooth adapted to prevent escape of the loops from the looper, and a journal member embracing the oscillating head and afiording a guideway therefor, the journal member and oscillating head being removable and replaceable as a unit.

17 In tufting mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating needle, a circular oscillating head and means for imparting oscillations to the same in timed relation to the movements of the needle, said head being cut away on its interior to afford an arc-shaped looper around a portion of its periphery, cutting means carried by the oscillating head and adapted. to free the loops from the looper, the tip of the looper being extended inwardly in the form of a tooth adapted to prevent escape of the loops from the looper, and a journal member embracing the oscillating head and affordinga guideway therefor, the journal member and oscillating head being removable and replaceable as a unit.

- HENRY J. SCHOMER. 

